


Void Borne Dreams

by LeonidasVIII



Series: Two Knights [2]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Anyways, Gen, Ghost says who wants to go feral and murder a bunch of people, TPK shows up only briefly, godhome time, the shades all say 'me'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:09:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27100990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeonidasVIII/pseuds/LeonidasVIII
Summary: Worry is sick. And then they are unconscious and convulsing and crying orange. Ghost fixes it.
Series: Two Knights [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957876
Kudos: 48





	1. Godhome

Worry had been having headaches, hearing voices other than their siblings in their head. They grabbed Ghost one day for support, the world swimming. They distantly heard a worried call of their name, and honestly couldn't tell who it was. And then they collapsed, unconscious before Ghost caught them. 

* * *

Pure was staring at their collapsed sibling, supported by Ghost, panic racing through them. 

_Pure, I need you to ask Herrah if she knows where Tilted is._ The younger vessel stayed frozen, staring in shock and horror. _Pure!_ They jumped, gaze snapping to Ghost, before they nodded. 

_Herrah. Right. Okay._ They turned and ran to find The Beast, ignoring everyone they came across on the way. When they got to the throne room, they skidded to a stop. Herrah looked over, frowning at their posture. 

"Pure? What's wrong?" Their hands raised to sign, and then a scream shook the building. Herrah was at their side in an instant. "Take me there." Pure nodded, racing back toward Ghost and Worry, hearing the queen's footsteps behind them. They reached the hallway they'd left them, and their void froze at the sight of Ghost holding down Worry, their sibling thrashing, leaking orange tears. Herrah moved forward, but Ghost's sharp gaze stopped her. "What happened?!" Ghost looked to Pure, who moved over to hold Worry down so that they could explain. They went to press an apology to their sibling's mind, but their mind wasn't alone now. There was… So much, and they couldn't find their sibling. So many minds that weren't void, hiding their sibling. They began to shake, anger in their void. And then Worry went still, but the tears didn't stop.

_Ghost, they stopped struggling._ They sat up a bit, keeping on hand on Worry's chest, and looked to Ghost. Ghost looked over, frowning deeply, and kneeled next to them. Herrah sighed. 

"I'll have Hornet go get whatever it was from Tilted. Take them to their room, they'll be more comfortable. And, if need be, we can use silk to lash them to the bed." Ghost nodded, looping one of Worry's arms around their shoulders as Pure did the same with the other. They carried them to their room, and settled in to wait. 

* * *

Tilted ran into their room, a hilt in their hand. 

_This is what Radi gave me. What happened?_ Ghost looked over from where they were sitting next to Worry. 

_They'd been hearing weird voices for around a week, and then they just suddenly collapsed. And now we can't feel them, just… So many other minds._ Tilted pulled back the hilt, which flashed in their hand, and Ghost grabbed it. _No! I'll do it. Not you._ Tilted looked at them. 

_Radi gave it to me!_

_And it's my job to protect you all! So I'll do it, and you'll stay and watch over them, okay?_ Tilted hesitated, and then handed the hilt to their sibling. 

_It's called a dreamnail. You have to charge it, and then swing it once it sings._ Ghost nodded as they got out of bed and faced Worry, taking a position they'd seen Pure take, like they were ready to swing a nail. They waited until the thing sung, and swung at their sibling. Tilted caught them as they collapsed and laid them next to Worry. _Be safe, Ghost…_

* * *

Ghost woke in a place filled with bugs that were wrapped up, that all wore the same mask. None of them paid them any attention, all staring toward bright orange far, far above them. Worry. They started shoving through the crowd, ignoring the disgruntled murmurs, and paused as they saw a door. They went through, gasping as they were suddenly in an arena, with no exit behind them. Still the bugs did not look at them, even as an enemy appeared. They fought, killed it, and were in another arena. They had a sinking feeling about what was going on, and what they would have to do to reach their sibling. 

* * *

Ghost had been asleep for days, but Tilted wouldn't let them wake them. Pure had taken to pacing at the bedside, only ever dragged away by Hornet or Herrah to take care of themself. And then Hornet stumbled, pressing a hand to her head, and shut her eyes tightly. It passed after a moment, and she looked at Pure, eyes narrowed. 

"I think I just fought Ghost?" Pure failed their hands in a gesture of surprise and confusion. "I saw them, and they fought as they always do, but… I was not able to defeat them. Even though I felt stronger." She huffed, and Pure allowed themself a moment of mirth. Still annoyed by Ghost's strength and skill surpassing her own. They patted between her horns, and raised their hands to sign. 

'Maybe one day, sister' She shoved them gently, huffing. 

"What do you mean 'maybe'?! It's a guarantee!" Pure patted between her horns again. 

* * *

Ghost knew the injuries were all false. The hot springs were still nice, the Soul filling them with strength. They didn't like fighting Hornet, but they had a feeling if she'd appeared, so would Pure. They weren't looking forward to it. For now, it was through the door, into what looked like a tent. There was a red eyed bug, who bowed to them, and they bowed back. When they straightened, they drew their daggers, and the fight began. 

* * *

Pure didn't like the dream they were having. Ghost was there, holding their daggers, looking ready for a fight, and they were in the armor of the White Palace, holding their greatnail. But they knew this was an arena. So they fought. Spells and Void and their nail, but Ghost was quick and knew their tells. They barely landed a hit. When Ghost's dagger sliced through them, they woke with a silent gasp, gripping the sheets. They went back to Worry's room, watching their sleeping siblings. They had a very bad feeling. 

* * *

Dodge, slash, throw, duck, summon back, jump, heal, throw, cast, duck, repeat. Ghost had been fighting for an eternity. They were so good at it. They wondered, soaking in the hot spring, if the mechanical thoughts, the simple actions, they lack of true analysis aside from what to do for each attack, if that was what their sibling had attempted to emulate in their "purity". They were so close to their sibling, they could feel it. They entered the next arena, and it was the palace, and there was father. They bowed, waited until he had straightened, and lunged with an almost feral glee. He would be fine, he would, Hornet and Herrah and Pure were all fine, he would be. But they would take delight in taking his wings off, in making it so he couldn't cast, in hurting him.

Minutes later, they had him pinned down, were slashing and stabbing and when the arena started to go black, they stood. He stared quietly at them, and then spoke. 

"Do you truly despise me that much?" They turned away, and when the arena changed, they were in the clouds. And there was Worry. They were curled into themself, and surrounded by the strange bugs. Ghost lunged, unthinking, tearing one of them apart before the others could react. Worry stared at them, and they had to press down the need to keep fighting, to tear apart wherever they saw. Because Worry was here, was stuck, wouldn't be okay. 

_I'm here, Worry._ Their younger sibling stood, slowly approached, and Ghost did appreciate it. A sudden lurch may have seen blades buried in their chest. When Worry hugged them, they hugged back, allowing their daggers to fall. 

_I'm scared, Ghost. They're calling me the God of Gods, saying that they're attuned to me, that they w-wanna worship me… I don't wanna be worshipped!_ Worry began shaking with quiet sobs, and Ghost pressed their mask to their sibling's. 

_You won't be. Okay? I'm right here, and I'll save you. I'll protect you._ Worry nodded a bit, wiping at the orange tears in their eyes. Ghost turned to the bugs that had hurt their sibling. _I suggest staying back until I seem calmer. Because I am having a hard time controlling myself, and I don't want to hurt you._ They felt Worry's presence back off a fair ways, the heat of the sun so very far back. Ghost stepped forward, and suddenly they were running, protective fury running through them, and their daggers were flying through the air and back in their hands and slashing and stabbing and blood was all over them as they began tearing through the creatures, working their way down. 

* * *

This was the last one, they were sure of it. Unwrapped, mask broken, in the most hidden away corner of this forsaken place. It stared at them, rapture in its eyes. They crushed it with one hand. Wait. They blinked, startled to find they actually could, and looked at their hand. That… Was entirely too large. They looked down at themself, and saw a massive Void body. Their hands flew to their head, finding eight horns instead of two, and they knew something had gone wrong while they were rampaging. 

_Ghost?_ They jumped, whipping around, and recoiling a bit from the light. It hurt. But they knew the voice. Why did they know the voice? It was a friendly voice. A good voice. _Are you okay, Ghost?_ They looked down, saw **the light, the light that burned and the light that stole together, a shard of the thief but the full power of the burning light,** and they slowly raised a hand. The creature stepped forward, slowly resting a hand on one of their massive… Legs? Tendrils? What the appendages were called didn't matter, because now it could feel the Void. Could recognize their sibling. Their hand dropped back down to their side, and only then did they notice that they had four arms. 

**Worry. I… Yes, I'm okay. Are you?** Their sibling nodded. 

_Let's go home._ Ghost nodded, and felt Worry send them out of the Dream. They woke in pure black, and slowly raised themself. The lighthouse. The Abyss? They looked around, and clambered up the platforms, four arms and a massive body making it far easier. They could hear the clamoring of siblings now, and they started to remember what had happened. Remembered calling for help, for their siblings to join them, because there were so many, so many creatures that had hurt siblings that needed to die. Only the shades had responded to the call. They don't remember expecting different. They remembered the siblings joining them, joining with them, becoming one, becoming large and even more deadly, crushing and throwing and destroying. The siblings wanted to see the world. They nodded a bit, told them they would. 

It took them a moment after exiting the Abyss to realize they could likely manipulate their form. They focused, and shrank, condensed, formed their head into what their mask had been before, two branching horns. They were still entirely made of Void, but that was okay. They headed for Deepnest. Home. 

* * *

When they reached Deepnest, they didn't expect the spiders to rub from them. They tried not to feel too hurt, they did look a lot different now, but they were still them! And then they saw Hornet. 

**"Sister!"** She froze, and looked at them, and then growled, taking an offensive stance. 

"You dare to use my sibling's visage?!" They tilted their head, confused. 

**"What do you mean?"** Hornet huffed. 

"They are dead, and you use their image as a way into our kingdom! Well I will not stand for that!" She threw her needle, and Ghost looked down as it went through their chest. Then their gaze snapped back to their sister, who was staring in shock. 

**"Did you just try to kill me?!"**

"Why did it go through you?!" 

**"Because I don't have chitin anymore!"**

"What do you mean anymore?!" 

**"I mean I used to, and now I'm a god maybe, and I don't anymore! I'm just Void!"** They paused, eyes widening a bit. **"You can hear me?!"** She slowly nodded. 

"Yes, but now I'm doubting my sanity. Don't go anywhere, I'll be back." She retrieved her needle and turned, and they hesitated before shrinking, floating silently after her as she raced off. Then they were in Worry's room, and they were awake, and Pure and Tilted were there, but they were arguing, and Pure was holding… Their mask? Hornet took a deep breath. "Something came to Deepnest wearing Ghost's face." Both of the arguing vessels froze, looking at her, but Worry's gaze landed behind her. On them. They felt mirth fill them, and slowly allowed themself to expand. After a few moments of frantic signing and explanation, Pure froze, and reached for their greatnail. Hornet and Tilted froze as well, following their gaze to Ghost, standing near full height behind their sister. 

**"Boo."** Worry's laughter cut through the tension, and they stood, walking over and taking their hand. They pressed their mask to their sibling's, and they were so warm. 

_"It's Ghost, don't worry."_ Ghost chuckled quietly, and then made themself ever so slightly taller than their Dream bound sibling. Worry turned sharply. _"I take it back, not Ghost, please stab them Pure."_ Ghost stomped, pointing at Hornet. 

**"She already did!"** All attention turned to the half spider, who sputtered. 

"You're a shapeshifter wearing my siblings face!" 

_SHE CAN HEAR YOU?_! Pure stared at Ghost, who shrugged. 

**"I'm a god now I think, and that does weird stuff."** Tilted spoke up now. 

_Okay, so you died, and now you're a god?_

_"They joined with the shades of the other siblings, I think? And now they're Void. They did… A lot of killing, for me."_

**"There were lots of bugs that hurt you. Too many for just me. So I called on the siblings."** Hornet covered her face with a hand, lowering it before looking to both of her divine siblings. 

"Back up. You really are Ghost, then?" Worry and Ghost both nodded. "And you freed Worry." They both nodded again, Worry loosely taking their older siblings hand. "And then you called on our dead siblings to better commit mass murder." Ghost scratched at the side of their mask sheepishly. 

**"When you put it like that…"** Hornet sighed. 

"So yes. And you fused with them, and now you're a god?" 

**"Pretty much."** Hornet turned. 

"I hate this family. I'm going to go lay down." She walked out as Ghost began to laugh, Pure snickering quietly as well. 

_Know what? She's right, this family sucks. I should've picked the palace, at least then I could've beat up the King_. Worry patted Tilted's shoulder. 

_It's okay Tilted, you'll always have me._ The curtain opened, and then there was a needle at Ghost's throat, and they reared back a bit, laughter abruptly cutting off. 

"What are you?" Ghost huffed. 

**"Ghost! I'm me! I'm just a god now! Why does everyone keep pointing weapons at me?!"** Worry moved up behind Ghost, as did Pure. 

_"It's okay, Herrah. It really is them. What'd you need?"_ The spider queen studied Ghost a second, and then lowered her needle. 

"Well then. You can explain what happened to your father, he just teleported into my kingdom." Ghost tilted their head a bit, but followed, their siblings trailing behind.

* * *

When they reached the throne room, The Pale King was pacing worriedly, hands clasped behind his back. Anger, a vessel with one horn sprouting from their forehead, stood nearby, watching their father quietly, attention drawn over when the curtain moved. The king stopped pacing and looked over, eyes widening at the sight of Ghost. 

"Hollow Knight, what has happened to you?!" It struck Ghost that, much like Worry, they now had a voice. 

**"I'm a god now! And I beat you up! And my name is Ghost and you better use it!"** The Pale King reared back a bit, surprised, but Ghost wasn't done. **"You asked if I despise you and the answer is no, but I wish I did sometimes! You gave Pure massive trauma, and you didn't think I could seal her, and you killed so many of my siblings!"** Worry laid a hand on their shoulder. **"I can feel them all, know that?! They're part of me now! They're all scared of you! Because you killed your own children for a doomed plan, instead of just talking to her!"** They began to advance, taking no heed of the way his wings flared behind him, this light that had killed and stolen and hurt all that was theirs. **"I wish I hated you! Because then I wouldn't feel like such a traitor to my siblings! To all the ones you murdered!"** They were shaking, and then there was warmth at their back, a hand resting on their shoulder, gently pulling them back. They went easily, letting Worry guide them a bit away. They let their sibling hold them, loosely clung to their fuzzy cloak, running their hands over the faux-moth fluff. They looked up when Herrah cleared her throat. 

"Do you want to explain to me what happened, and I can tell him so you can go lay down, Ghost?" They hesitated, and then nodded. Began to tell Herrah the story of how they freed Worry, the fights they went through, and then going and murdering each of the bugs they could find, joining with their siblings to make it easier. Herrah sighed softly at the end, laid a hand on their shoulder, and gently pulled them closer, pressing her mask to theirs. "You're freezing, but I suspect that's just the Void you're made of now. Go lay down, cuddle with your siblings." Ghost nodded, gently pulling away. Worry took their hand, and began leading them to their room. 

* * *

Herrah waited until Ghost was well down the hall to turn on the wyrm. 

"What did you not tell us?! You send me a letter telling me to keep an eye on Worry and the next day they're thrashing and screaming and crying orange! And then Ghost goes into their dreams, dies, and comes back as a god!" The Pale King winced, and Anger pushed off the wall, standing as tall as Pure did, an effect of the massive amount of Soul they could draw from the palace and their father. 

"It is fine, Anger. She… Is correct, I should have taken more action." The wyrm straightened. "There are creatures called the Godseekers, who seek out gods to attune themselves to. When they find what they believe to be the most powerful god in a place, they latch onto them, attempting to use them to ascend to a higher state of being. One arrived in Hallownest recently, so I took what I had thought were appropriate measures." Herrah scoffed. 

"Well don't worry about the Godseekers anymore. I bet you anything it's dead. Ghost went through where they'd trapped Worry and killed them all." The Pale King's eyes widened. 

"They did what?!"

"Don't act like mass murder is anything new to you, wyrm." Anger stepped forward, in front of their father, and Herrah sighed softly. "I'm not going to hurt him, Anger. I just…" Her gaze turned toward the vessels' rooms. "Wish that this hadn't happened. And that he," She pointed at The Pale King for emphasis, "had done more to stop it." Anger nodded a bit in understanding. 

"I am sorry, Herrah. I never meant for them to get hurt." 

"I know. You've never meant for any of them to get hurt. That doesn't mean you haven't caused pain, or that you're absolved because you said sorry. Now take your child and get out of my kingdom." The king nodded, waiting until Anger had laid their hand on his shoulder to teleport them both. Herrah sighed, going and sitting on her throne, burying her face in her hands. Now she had two gods in her kingdom, both of whom now had extra trauma to deal with, and one of whom was likely also dealing with the trauma of their thousands of dead siblings. Wonderful. 

* * *

Hornet had been listening since the moment Ghost walked into the throne room, and now that the conversation with her father was over, she took off through the upper tunnels toward Ghost's room. She dropped down in front of it, tucking her needle against her back, knocking on the doorframe before gently pushing aside the curtain. Ghost looked over from their place on the bed, sitting between Pure and Tilted, Worry against their back. They grabbed two blankets, putting one in their lap and the other over their shoulders so it covered their chest, holding their arms out to her after. She walked over, climbing into her sibling's lap and hugging them. They gripped at her cloak, and she closed her eyes. It would be okay. Pure's hand came to lay between her horns, and Tilted's laid on her back. Worry began to sing, a slow, gentle melody, and the five siblings fell asleep like that, holding onto each other.


	2. Advantages Of Being A God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hornet loves to be right. Ghost loves messing with their sister. Hegemol is just glad they're both happy.

"Ghost! Come here!" The eldest vessel walked over to their sister, head tilted. She was standing with a very large, very rotund bug. Hegemol, they recalled, one of the great knights. "I told Hegemol you could lift him with one hand." The knight chuckled, shaking his head a bit. 

"I said I'd like to see you try. Hello again Hollow Knight. Or, Ghost now, yes?" Ghost nodded. "It's good to see you again."

**"You too Hegemol. Now hold still."** Hegemol was surprised first by the voice, then by the way they began to expand. Then they towered over him, and one hand swept up from his shadow to lift him. He clutched his hammer tightly, dropping to one knee to steady himself a bit. Then he was in front of a massive mask, with eight pure white eyes looking at him. Hornet landed on one of the horns. 

"Told you they could lift you with one hand."

"I hardly think this is fair!" Ghost chuckled, setting him back down. Then suddenly they were small again, and Hornet launched her needle, catching herself on her thread. Hegemol smiled. Hornet lowered herself quickly, and Ghost was already moving away. 

**"Bye Hegemol!"**

"Goodbye, Ghost!" Their sister's needle flew past them, and they began running with a delighted cackle. The spiderling flew off after them, and he shook his head, chuckling again.


End file.
